After celebrating the Seasons of Easter and the solemnities of Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity, the Body and Blood of Christ and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we return to remembrance of the ministry of Jesus with his teachings as we read St Mark’s Gospel. This has another title -translated from the Latin as “Ordinary Time“- a poor translation which in English implies something of little significance! One attempt at clarifying the term is “ordered“. In the meantime you will notice the green vestment and the abbreviation ‘OT’.

The Day For Life

For information on this year’s theme please follow this link.

A Bishop has written drawing attention to the “culture of death “ prevalent in proposed legislation.

 Patronal Feast

Each year on the Sunday nearest to the Anniversary of the Dedication of our Church we celebrate the Patronal Feast. This year we will be celebrating on Sunday 7^th July at the 10am Mass and afterwards with a drink.

Missio

The Missions Society – has sent us reports of recent activity. Thank you for filling the red boxes with those coins that are not seen so often. There are some red boxes available for you.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 9th June 10am 10th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 12th June 9:30am St Anthony of Padua
• Friday 14th June 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Sunday 16th June 10am 11th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 19th June 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Friday 21st June 9:30am St Aloysius Gonzaga
• Saturday 22nd June HMP Lewes Mass 8:30am
• Sunday 23rd June 10am 12th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 26th June 11:30am Funeral Mass for Tom Perrin RIP
• Friday 28th June 9:30am St Irenaeus
• Sunday 30th June 10am Saints Peter and Paul
• Wednesday 3rd July 9:30am St Thomas, Apostle
• Friday 5th July 9:30am Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart
• Sunday 7th July 10am Patronal Feast
• Wednesday 10th July 9:30am St Benedict
• Friday 12th July 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Sunday 14th July 10am 15th Sunday in OT
• Wednesday 17th July 9:30am Weekday Mass
• Friday 19th July 9:30am Weekday Mass

Tom Perrin RIP

Tom died last Monday, a staunch Catholic and family man, husband, father and grandfather. May he rest in peace.

His Requiem Mass and funeral will be in St Thomas More’s Church on Wednesday 26^th June at 11.30am followed by cremation at Woodvale, North Chapel at 1pm. Remember in your prayers Margaret his wife and Kath, Mary and the other members of the Perrin Family.

Foundation Governors for Catholic Schools

An informative poster will be displayed inviting response from practising Catholics for the role .

Reminders

• St Bernadette’s Summer Festival Saturday 29th June
• St Thomas More’s Patronal Feast Day July 7th

The Lectionary 

The new version will be in use from the First Sunday of Advent.

You can read about it here.

The Clergy have in-service training on it this week so you will be hearing more about it in the future.

The Parish Website

Our parish website will be having a short break before returning. Please keep up to date by checking the noticeboard in the entrance to the church.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant too.

Our response to God is one of Faith – I believe – and is the relationship which builds up each day. Through the Scriptures we discover God revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God. Do not attempt to work it out like an equation. It is a Mystery of Revelation. We find in our prayer life that we are close to God when, like his Son, we say “ Our Father. Abba”; when we pray to “Our Lord Jesus Christ”, and when we invite the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. This feast reminds us to become more aware of how we address God at the beginning of prayer and how we conclude our praying. We may be amazed how Trinitarian our prayer and worship become.

The General Election

The Bishops of England and Wales remind us to bear in mind the Common Good and have set out some of the issues to be discerned and considered in our voting and discussion. In recent months some leaflets from political parties have come through the letterbox mainly about local issues . When the Parties Manifestos are published then we should examine them carefully and be prepared to question candidates and callers on their content. One example would be the role of Faith Schools , remembering how important a place they have in the Church’s mission for education.

To research further you can find on the Bishops’ Conference some of the issues which may not be heard in the Media deluge over the next 6 weeks.

Click here to read more about the following issues: Criminal Justice, domestic poverty, family life, education . environment, life issues, migration, international relations, the common good.

Corpus Et Sanguinis Christi – The Body and Blood of Christ

The annual celebration of this Solemnity takes place next Sunday at the 10.am Mass to be followed by a time of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and thanksgiving for our Holy Communions. A time to remember our First Holy Communion Day and to recall how our devotion has developed since.

Arundel Cathedral Celebration

The long tradition marking this Feast in Arundel with a Solemn Mass and Procession into the grounds of Arundel Castle will commence on Wednesday May 29^th with the display of the Carpet of Flowers and on Thursday 30^th May with the Mass and Procession at 5.30pm

You can read more here.

Online Live Broadcasts

Arundel Cathedral website.

From Lourdes. Each day you can follow the Procession and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at 4pm BST. Go to Useful Websites on our website – The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, The procession ends with blessing of the Sick and a time of Adoration.

Mass Schedule

• 26th May Trinity Sunday Mass 10am
• 28th May Tuesday Mass 9.30am For the Diocese & Bishop Richard
• 29th May Wednesday Mass 9.30am Memorial of St Pope Paul VI
• 31st May Friday Mass 9.30am The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• 2nd June Sunday. The Feast of the Body & Blood of Christ. Mass 10am.

Tuesday’s Anniversaries

• The Diocese of Arundel and Brighton was created on May 28^th 1965
• Bishop Richard became the Bishop of Arundel & Brighton on May 28^th 2015

The 100 Club

On Sunday 7th July, our Patronal Feast Day we will have a Summer draw and celebration. Membership of the 100 Club is £30 pounds a year. If you can please join.

The Catenians

Please see the poster below about the work of The Catenians. The local Sussex branch can be contacted below by visiting this website or by calling 07795 233908

Father, Jesus, Spirit, we adore you.
Lay our lives before you,
How we love you.

The action-packed account in the Acts of the Apostles of Pentecost is seen as the birth of the Church, the end of the Easter season but most significantly of the coming of the promised Holy Spirit. There is remarkable energy in the symbols of a wind and fire manifested in enthusiasm ,courage and action. From the first mention by Jesus of an advocate and God’s Spirit there was anticipation of what this would mean. Subsequently  the message of Jesus and its effects became evident in the spreading far and wide of the knowledge of the meaning for individuals and communities, At Baptism and all the other moments of Christian celebration the presence of the Spirit is evident, Remember those word at your Confirmation “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Reflection

This week’s reflection can be found here.

Praying For Vocations To The Priesthood

We pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on our Diocese to produce many vocations.

Read about the variety of spiritual gifts that make up the Church.1 Corinthians 12.3 -13.

Two Deacons will be Ordained to Priesthood in Arundel Cathedral in June. Deo gratias.

Mass Schedule

• Pentecost Sunday Mass Sunday 19th 10am
• Monday 20th May St Mary’s House 8.15am. Mary, Mother of the Church.
• Wednesday 22nd May Mass 9.30am. 7^th in Ordinary Time
• Friday 24th May St Bede the Venerable Mass 9,30am
• Trinity Sunday 26th May Mass 10am

Ordinary Time

The next two Sundays will celebrate the Holy Trinity and the Body and Blood of Christ.

And then we will be back to the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Weekdays the memorials of various Saints occur and this week is Week Seven in cycle 2 of the weekday Lectionary.

The New Lectionary

The publication details have now been announced.

Next week these will be shared with you.

The Clergy have an In-Service time soon.

Mary’s Month

St Bernadette’s has a May Celebration this Friday.

The Catholic Shrine in Walsingham, Norfolk now has a new website. Please click here.

The Diocesan Plan

There is a gradual roll out around the Diocese. For general information you may like to read a recent progress report.

We have heard that Canon David Parmiter who is shortly to take over St Peter’s ,Hove, will in 2025 become the Moderator of the area. He is presently dean of the Cathedral in Arundel.

Send your Spirit upon us,
As helper and guide
May he fill us with wonder and awe.
Seal us O Lord with your holy gift.
Send your Spirit to renew our lives.

This coming Thursday 40 days after Easter Day we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord as He returns to the Father and commissions his followers to “go out and bear much fruit” – a challenge to us. He sends us His Spirit and he gives us the hope of one day reaching the place he has won for us. The day is a Holyday when we are expected to attend Mass. There are 2 Masses in our church: in the morning at 9.30am and in the evening at 7pm. Do make the effort to participate.

Day of Prayer for The Eastern Churches

We are asked to pray for the members of the Eastern Catholic Churches which include the Catholics in the Holy Land. These remain in union with the Pope and have their own Liturgies and Canon Law. For example, Greek Catholic, Coptic, Syrian. There are also other Churches who are described as Orthodox who as yet are not in union with the Catholic Church. They are celebrating Easter this weekend.

Praying for Vocations

In this 6^th week of Easter, we reflect on the spirit of sacrifice and pray for greater numbers to respond generously to celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass.

The Diocesan Plan

There was a first gathering of the five parishes of the Brighton part of the Deanery to begin the consideration of how in the future the Church can co-operate, for example with preparation for the Sacraments, training for ministries, levels of administration, Mass times etc.

Now is a good time to read again the green covered copies of the Bishop’s Plan – either the A4 copy or the abridged version – along with the prayer!

The Ministry of Welcome

A Parish Community likes to be called ‘welcoming’. This depends on members thinking that the other people are also present to be part of the worshipping  group forming community. It makes all the difference if there is someone there to greet us at the door. A friendly welcome, a smile, offering a hymn book but no inquisition! Could you fit the profile? Do let Fr John know.

Sudan Crisis Appeal

There is a wall box in the Entrance for your generosity.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 5th May Mass 10am. Int. For the people of the Parish
• Eastertide Wednesday 8th May 9.30am
• ASCENSION THURSDAY 9TH MAY HOLYDAY OF OBLIGATION
• Masses at 9.30am and 7pm
• Eastertide Friday 10th May Mass 9.30am
• Saturday 11th May HMP Lewes Mass 8.30am
• Seventh Sunday of Easter Sunday 12th May Mass 10am

New praises be given,
To Christ newly crowned 
who back to his heaven
a new way hath found,
God’s blessedness sharing
Before us he goes
What mansions preparing
What endless repose.

Due to some technical issues, this week’s newsletter is very much reduced. We hope to resume normal service as soon as possible.

Mass Schedule

• Sunday 21st April 10am 4th Sunday of Easter
• Tuesday 23rd April St George, Patron of England 9:30am Mass and 2pm Funeral Mass for Hilda Searle (RIP)
• Wednesday 24th April Feast of St Mark 9:30am
• Friday 26th April Eastertide Mass 9:30am
• Sunday 28th April 10am 5th Sunday of Easter

Lord Jesus,
Grant to our Diocese
the gift of priests
filled with zeal for your Word,
and with dedication
in the service of your people,
that your church may be nourished
through the Sacraments
and strengthened for the Mission
to which you have called us.
For you are Lord
for ever and ever.
Amen

After Easter Week, the Season continues to Pentecost – the 50 Days when we rejoice in the Risen Lord and read the Acts of the Apostles and the development of Christian Communities, living and celebrating Christ’s Ways.

Thank you to those able to participate in Holy Week and the Liturgies and for your generosity with the Lenten Alms Box, the Good Friday Offerings for the Church in the Holy Land and the Easter Offering. Holy Saturday, when we joined the Easter Vigil with St Mary’s, was a joyful celebration. Earlier that morning it had been my turn to celebrate Easter Mass at HMP Lewes and, thanks to the Ministry of Justice, we ended up with a bag each of mini chocolate eggs.

Bishop Richard’s Weekly Message

This can be found by following this link. There is no video podcast this week.

The Chrism Mass

Photos from the Chrism Mass during Holy Week at Arundel Cathedral can be found here.

Pope Francis appeals for peace

Pope Francis has called for a ceasefire in Gaza. More details can be found here.

The Word of Life leaflet for April

To assist with your prayer life during the Month. The scripture text and commentary are to be kept to assist you during the month to reflect on the Word and by reflection to let it nourish your spiritual life.

The Annunciation of The Lord

This Solemnity usually celebrated on March 25^th – nine months before Christmas – is transferred (because of Holy Week) to this Monday (8th April) at 9.30am. It is of course recalled every time Gabriel’s Salutation is made (Hail Mary full of grace…) and the event is meditated on in the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Mass Schedule

• The Second Sunday of Easter Mass (7th April) 10 am.
• Monday (8th April) The Annunciation of the Lord Mass 9.30am
• Wednesday (10th April) Eastertide Mass 9.30am
• Friday (12th April) Eastertide Mass 9.30am
• The Third Sunday of Easter (14th April) Mass 10am

Once you showed to Thomas wounded
Hands and side
Here I kneel adoring,
Faith alone my guide
Help me grow in faith,
Lord, grow in hope and love,
Living by your spirit
Gift of God above.

Hymn 396